Abstract:

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This study investigates an existing steel plate girder railroad bridge in order to monitor
static and dynamic responses using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. This paper also presents an
experimental technique to estimate the vertical deflection of the bridge using FBG sensors. Seven
FBG sensors are multiplexed in a single optical fiber and installed in parallel pairs along the length of
the bridge, with one set on the top flange and the other on the bottom flange. The train passes over the
bridge at different speeds, ranging from 10 km/h to 90 km/h, so as to monitor the dynamic response of
the bridge. The results show that the proposed instrumentation technique is capable of estimating the
deflection of the bridge for various loading conditions, which is crucial in structural monitoring.